El Nefes Apollo 11 Wood Hookah 53 cm - Shisha with Carved Wooden Sleeves

The El Nefes Apollo 11 Wood is a 53 centimeter hookah where wood sets the tone. Under the carved sleeves sit stainless steel tubes that guide the smoke; the wood provides the looks and the grip. El Nefes lists this version under article number DEU-AP11-WO, alongside the black, white and epoxy variants of the same model.

Why wood as a sleeve and not as a smoke channel

Wood and water vapor get along badly over time: moisture works into the grain and causes cracks or smells. By using the wood as an outer sleeve and guiding the smoke through steel, this model avoids that problem. You get the warm, crafted look, but you clean the inside like any other steel hookah.

The diamond pattern is applied per piece. As a result the drawing differs slightly from one example to the next, which belongs to a wooden product and is not a manufacturing fault.

What is in the box

Inside the packaging you find: a tray in steel, the wrapped stem sections, a diffuser tube with perforations, a see-through base, a supple hose in black, the mouthpiece whose grip is executed in wood, plus the seals and connecting pieces that belong with it. A hookah bowl and coal tongs are not included. You pick the bowl yourself among the hookah bowls, which is also convenient if you already know which bowl type you like to work with.

How does wood compare to metal in practice?

An all-metal hookah feels cooler and is indifferent to moisture, but it also looks more anonymous. Wood brings structure and warmth to the picture, and because it sits only on the outside here, you avoid the downsides a real wooden smoke path would bring. It does stay a natural product: colour and grain differ per example and may darken slightly over the years. That is normal and not wear.

Setting up and water level

Slide the stem into the base until the seal grips properly and then place the tray. Fill the base so the diffuser tube hangs a few centimeters below water. Too much water makes drawing heavy and splashes up sooner, too little gives harsh smoke. Check that before lighting coals, because topping up with a hot bowl on top is awkward.

The diffuser and the draw

The smoke path holds a tube with small perforations. It splits the airflow under water into smaller bubbles, which makes the bubbling softer and the resistance feel more even. If the draw turns heavy, check the water level first; at this height about two centimeters below the bottom of the tube works best.

One hose connection

The Apollo 11 has one port and ships with one hose. For an evening with two people you pass the hose around, or you lay out a second hookah hose to switch. For anyone often smoking with a group a model with two ports is more practical; for personal use or in pairs this does fine.

Maintaining wood and steel

Rinse the steel inner parts and the base with lukewarm water after each session and let them dry before storing the hookah. The wooden sleeves need no water: a dry or slightly damp cloth is enough. Do not store the hookah in a damp place, because wood simply reacts to that. That way the grain stays beautiful without you having to do anything else.

Coals and setup

Three natural coals along the edge of the foil is a good starting point at this height; with a heat device you can do with fewer. Choose evenly burning coals from the hookah charcoal, and if you prefer working without foil, look at the Kaloud and metal chimneys.

Who is this hookah for?

For anyone looking for a hookah that stands in the room as an object, not just as a tool. The printed carry box also makes it suitable as a gift. If you are mainly after the maximum number of ports or the lowest price, there are more logical choices in the range.